Canada offers many ways to facilitate family reunification, allowing families to live together in Canada if one member is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Therefore, the government has established options for married, common-law, or conjugal partners to live together in Canada.
If you are interested in sponsoring your partner, keep reading! We will give you a simple explanation of what you need to know.
At a Glance
- Sponsors are financially responsible for the sponsored person for 3 years after they become a permanent resident
- Each category asks for something different: a valid marriage, 12 consecutive months of living together, or neither — all three need proof the relationship is genuine
- The sponsored person’s children can be included as dependants if they are under 22 and unmarried
- You can apply from within Canada or from abroad — an open work permit is also possible once IRCC confirms your application is on file
From here on, we will refer to the two parties in the application as:
The Sponsor: a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident.
The Sponsored Person: a foreign national in a relationship with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
This program lets couples live together in Canada whether they are married, have lived together for at least 12 consecutive months, or are in a committed relationship that circumstances have kept apart. What all three have in common is the need to prove the relationship is real.
If the application results in a positive outcome, the sponsored person will automatically obtain Canadian permanent residence, along with any dependent children who applied within the same application.
Learn More About Sponsorships in Canada
As a sponsor, you will be financially responsible for the sponsored person for the next three years after they become a permanent resident. You will need to sign an undertaking agreement with Immigration Canada (IRCC).
If you wish to apply for this program, here is what you need to know:
“What types of relationships can apply?”
Three, and they are not three versions of the same thing.
A spouse is someone you are legally married to.
A common-law partner is someone you have lived with continuously for at least 12 months.
A conjugal partner is someone you are in a committed relationship with but cannot marry and cannot live with, because of circumstances outside your control. This category exists precisely for the couples the first two leave out — so it does not ask for the 12 months of cohabitation. Asking for it would defeat the purpose.
All three require evidence that the relationship is genuine.
“Is it necessary to be married?”
No. You can apply as a common-law partner if you have lived together for at least 12 continuous months, or as a conjugal partner if you are committed to each other but have been prevented from marrying or living together. The conjugal route does not ask for those 12 months of living together — and if someone tells you it does, they are describing the common-law category.
“Can my spouse’s/partner’s children come with me to Canada?”
Yes. The sponsored person’s children from previous relationships can be part of the spousal sponsorship application. They can be included as accompanying or non-accompanying dependants. If the child accompanies the principal applicant to Canada, they will be entitled to permanent residence at the same time. To be considered a dependant, the child must be under 22 years old and never have been married.
“How do I prove that my marriage is genuine?”
Every application and every relationship is different. It is necessary to present several categories of evidence. This may include photos, social media conversations, chats, rent receipts, shared insurance policies, and proof of visits such as boarding passes or passport stamps.
- Photos together
- Social media conversations and chats
- Rent receipts
- Shared insurance policies
- Proof of visits (boarding passes, passport stamps)
“What are the common reasons for refusal?”
When immigration officers consider that the relationship is not genuine (because the submitted application did not include enough evidence to confirm it), applications are usually refused. It is common to send the application without having it reviewed by a professional. This is not mandatory, but it can save money and time if the application is refused or returned. A professional can check for missing or misplaced information before submitting the application.
“Can we apply from within Canada or from abroad?”
Both options are available. If the sponsored person lives in Canada, you can submit a spousal sponsorship application from within Canada and also apply for an open work permit — but the open work permit application can only be submitted once you receive the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) letter confirming IRCC has your sponsorship application on file. It is advantageous for the sponsored person not to leave Canada during the processing of the application.
“Can I apply if my spouse/partner has already applied for a work permit?”
Yes. If the sponsored person has already applied for a work permit, you can apply through an inland application.
We hope this information is helpful for your application and can be beneficial to your life. If you have any doubts about the process or wish to sponsor your family in Canada, please contact us and we will provide you with more information.
